Job Interview Attire ("New age" of interviewing)

[PT2Bee]

Hi all,

I recently read an article that stated the interview culture is changing to a more business casual affair, with men less expected to wear full on suits and women less expected to rock a skirt suit or dress. I thought I would post this here to see what current PTs think. I live in the desert SW, more affectionately known as "the surface of the sun." If you were a hiring manager of PT director of your clinic in a hot weather climate like AZ or TX, would you understand a candidate wearing business casual (shirt, tie, slacks for male; nice blouse, slacks, heels/flats for female) in the summer or would you automatically mark that down as a negative?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[DesertPT]

Wearing bussiness attire (suit and tie) to a job interview is always your safest bet. Nobody is ever going to think "wow what a newb wearing a suit to a interview for a job that requires a doctorate degree". But if you dress down you run the risk of seeming not quite professional. A large portion of society is starting to become haters of professional attire more and more these days, and if that's the trend than so be it. But you won't see me showing up to a job interview as a DPT without a suit on (and I live in the desert southwest too btw ). And if I were the one doing the hiring, I personally would probably tend to view someone showing up for an interview in business causal to have a bit of a "too cool for school" attitude. But opinions may differ...when I was applying to school I actually saw a guy interview for PT school in very wrinkly gray jeans and a circa-1993 Eminem-style hoodie...with a white shirt and tie underneath it of course...don't know if he got in lol...

 

[jblil]

True story: I spent about 5 years abroad and came back to the US in 1997, just in time to apply to UNC's MBA program; you tend to lose touch with the local cultural norms if you spend long periods away... So on the day of the interview, I was the only guy in khakis and a plain shirt, without a tie - everyone else was in full business attire. When I saw the sea of black and grey suits in the lobby, I said "oh s...t, I'm toast." But the school must have liked me as I got accepted anyway. Moral of the story: ask around, if you're not sure what to wear.

 

[apta_pharaoh]

No, wear a suit to be safe. I would hope there is AC in the building you're interviewing in.